


Anywhere the Wind Blows...

by urbaninja



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Gen, Multiple Dimensions, stupid ass aus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-04-06 17:06:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4229922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/urbaninja/pseuds/urbaninja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just where did Doc go when he got caught in the future cube</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blue vs. Red?

**Author's Note:**

> The question was asked, I called dibs and then my brain spit out the most ridiculous dimensions it could think of. I'd say I was sorry but I'm not.

 

“-wait!”

 

Doc jolted back into reality and looked around. That was the weirdest thing he’d ever experienced. For a split second, he felt like had been sailing through time and space, with no set destination, his very being pushed and pulled like a cartoon character. He shook his head, trying to forget the experience.

 

As things came back into focus, he let out a sigh of relief. He was still on Chorus, no harm done. Everything was just as he left it, and there was Grif, talking to Donut.

 

“Hey Grif! It looks like those future cubes work on people, so maybe we can use that!” he says. The Red soldiers look over at him.

 

“Doc? Who are you talking to?” the orange one asks, clearly not Grif.

 

“Tucker? What are you doing wearing Grif’s armour?”

 

It’s honestly amazing how much confusion can be expressed through a helmet.

 

“Did you hit your head or something? Why would I want to wear Grif’s armor? It’s probably, like, totally gross. And why would we switch armor anyway?”

 

Doc freezes at all of these questions, trying to find an answer. Tucker, or at least, he’s pretty sure it’s Tucker even though the man in front of him is wearing orange, has raised a number of good points. The problem is he doesn’t have time to consider them. He has to find out what happened.

 

“I don’t know. To mess with me, or Sarge? I mean, I don’t know how long it’s been. I just got sucked into one of the future cubes and –“

 

“You got sucked into a future cube? I guess I better tell Grif that they work on people.”

 

“Tucker, are you messing with my future cubes?”

 

Doc turns, and it’s weird hearing Grif’s voice come out of armor that he associates with Church (sort of. At least Church when he first met him).

 

“No, I think Doc was though. He was saying he got sucked into them.”

 

“Really?” Grif looks at Doc, “When?”

 

“Just now, when you threw one as an example to Sarge. And then I came back and everyone had switched armor!”

 

“Switched armor? What are you talking about?” Grif and Tucker shared a confused look. Doc sighed in frustration.

 

“You’re on the wrong teams! Grif’s on Red team and he’s orange, and Tucker’s on Blue team and he’s cyan…teal…whatever! He’s blue!”

 

A stunned silence hung in the air before Grif and Tucker burst out laughing. What could Doc even be talking about? That was ridiculous. Grif? A Red? Well, it would really just give Sarge more of an excuse to threaten bodily harm.

 

Slowly, Doc was starting to piece together what had happened.

 

“The future cubes,” he said, almost to himself. “They must have sent me to an alternate dimension!”

 

“Doc, I think you spent too much time with Donut and listening to him talk about his fanfiction. That’s just not possible.”

 

“But it is guys! You have to believe me! I’m from another dimension! One where you guys are switched!”

 

“What in the sam hell is going on here!?”

 

“Sarge! Oh good, he’ll believe me!” Doc cried with relief until he saw a soldier stride purposefully into the clearing. A solider wearing standard blue armour. But that couldn’t be Sarge. That were Caboose’s colour, and Sarge wouldn’t be caught dead wearing blue armor. He’d die first.

 

“Grif! I thought I told you to figure out them future cubes. See if they’re of any use.”

 

“They are! And I was doing that until Doc showed up and distracted us with crazy stories about how he’s from an alternate dimension where we’re the Reds?”

 

“Us? Red Team? That’s ridiculous!”

 

“That’s what I said,” said Tucker. “I mean, not that I’d mind if it meant you had to deal with all the bullshit we’ve had to deal with.”

 

“No deal,” Grif replied. “We don’t need any red team problems.”

 

“Stop, stop! This is driving me crazy!” Doc moaned. It was so confusing and he could barely keep up with it all. The colours were wrong and it was giving him a headache.

 

“Wow, okay Doc, calm down. Look, why don’t you go rest in the base with Donut or something. I’m sure he’d be happy to look after you.”

 

Doc nodded feebly. He was sure Donut would be the wrong colour as well, but still maybe some one on one time would help to make things a little less confusing.

 

*

 

He followed Tucker toward Blue base (which was Red base in Doc’s mind), leaving Sarge and Grif to continue bickering about the future cubes.

 

Aside from the changes in colour, nothing about the canyon on Chorus seemed to have changed. All the junk was still there, so that was helpful. But it was all Doc could do to keep everything straight in his mind. He wanted nothing more than to get back to his dimension, where everything was the right colour.

 

“Hey, Donut! Are you in here?” Tucker yelled.

 

“Over here, Tucker! I’m helping Caboose with Freckles!” came Donut’s voice. They turned the corner and found a pink soldier and a blue one standing beside the giant robot. Doc turned instinctively to the pink soldier.

 

“Yeah, Donut was just helping me take some pictures of Freckles with his tiny hat,” said Caboose. “I’m gonna upload them to Basebook later and then everyone can see how cute he is!”

 

Doc was not sure what was more upsetting. That Caboose was wearing pink armor or that he was still convinced that Freckles was about as harmless as a newborn kitten.

 

“You’re gonna love them, Tucker! They’re very high quality,” said Donut.

 

“Yeah, right,” Tucker said with a sigh, “Look, just keep an eye on him alright?” He indicated Doc and then left with another sigh.

 

“What’s up?” Donut asked, looking Doc over. Doc wasn’t sure where to start.

 

“Well, I was with you and Grif with the future cubes and then Grif threw one and I got caught in it and then I appeared here except everyone’s wearing different colours and they keep saying that they’ve been these colours all along and that can’t be right because Tucker’s on Blue team not Red and it’s all so confusing!”

 

“Have you been reading my fanfiction again?” Donut asked, looking slightly scandalized.

 

“You gotta believe me, Donut! I think I’m in another dimension!” Doc’s voice was reaching that high, hysterical octave.

 

“Alright, calm down Doc,” Donut said, gently pushing the purple soldier onto a box. “Breathe. Now, what do you mean about another dimension?”

 

Doc took a few deep breaths, trying to meditate a little, focus his mind.

 

“Well, like I said, everyone’s the wrong colour, or on the wrong team. Like, where I come from, you’re pink and Caboose is blue.”

 

“Actually, I’d say I’m more of a Periwinkle, but that’s beside the point,” Donut replied. “So you’re saying that I’m supposed to be on Red Team?”

 

“Yeah, you and Grif and Simmons and Sarge. And Caboose and Tucker are on Blue Team with Wash. He’s still here, right?”

 

“He went off with Felix for something,” Donut replied. “But yeah, that doesn’t sound right to me. Because we’ve always been Blue team and they’re Red team. If we were Red team I think Sarge would have a heart attack.”

 

“It’s the opposite where I come from….wait, am I here?”

 

“Yeah, you are. You came with me in the ship to come and rescue these guys, remember? With Lopez? And then we got stuck here to and they beat us up.”

 

Doc nodded. It was starting to make sense. Everything that had happened here was the same, the only thing that had changed was the colours. Doc sat on the box considering this. If that was the case, then the same thing that happened to him must have happened to the Doc from this world. Maybe they just switched places?

 

“This is so weird. I’ve gotta get back and maybe find the Doc from this world? But how am I going to do that?”

 

A silence descended upon the group as they thought about it.

 

“Why don’t you just use another future cube?” said Caboose. Doc started, having forgotten about the other soldier. It was so weird seeing him in pink.

 

“What do you mean, Caboose?”

 

Caboose’s ideas were always dangerous after all. There were times when they made sense, but you had to be careful.

 

“I mean, you got sucked into a future cube to get here, so why don’t you use another one to get you back?”

 

The suggestion seemed almost reasonable. Doc ran it over a few times in his mind and couldn’t really find a way around it. It seemed pretty reasonable and hopefully, it would work out on the other side. They were using the future cubes pretty reasonably. Hopefully he wouldn’t be stuck in that in between space for very long.

 

“That…actually sounds like a good idea. I can’t believe I’m saying this but, thanks Caboose.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Caboose replied with a nod.

 

“You feeling better?” Donut asked, as Doc stood up.

 

“Yup. I think I know what to do. Hopefully, Grif won’t mind throwing another future cube at me.”

 

“We grabbed a lot from the ship so we should have one to spare,” Donut replied. “Good luck!”

 

“Thanks Donut!”

 

Doc took off at a run, heading back across the canyon to where the future cube test site was. He skidded to a halt in front of Grif, who looked at him confused and a teal soldier beside him, though Doc didn’t have time to puzzle out who that was.

 

“Grif, you gotta throw another future cube at me,” he said, out of breath.

 

“What? Why? We’re running out of them as it is, Doc. We have to ration them,” said the Teal armour.

 

“Simmons?”

 

“Yeah? Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Oh right, Doc thinks he’s from another dimension or something. It’s a long story and I don’t really get it but we’re supposed to be Red team or something.”

 

“You are! You’re Orange, Grif, and Simmons is Maroon!” Doc insisted

 

“Pft, Maroon. Wonder what Wash would think of that.”

 

“Are you kidding? It’d be a great bonding point I think,” Simmons replied.

 

“Okay, enough about that. Just throw a future cube at me! Please!” Desperation had finally kicked in.

 

Grif, who was about to reply to Simmons with an insult, stopped himself and sighed. He looked at Simmons who shrugged and then back at Doc.

 

“Fine. Hope it works out for you,” Grif said, picking up one of them and lobbing it at him. Doc felt the pull and push as space distorted reaction and with a pop! He was gone.

 

*

 

When the light faded, Doc knew he had a problem.


	2. Project Freelancer?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Dimension, Same old faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not sorry.

The light of the future cube faded and Doc found himself standing in a very unfamiliar location. He looked around, coming to the conclusion that it’s some kind of mess hall, which is an odd location to end up in. He had no idea if he was still on Chorus or not or if he’d ended up in a new dimension all together. The best thing to do would be to find someone who knew

The change is welcome however, since that other dimension was really starting to give him a headache.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and Doc turned around to find figures in Orange, Maroon, and Pink armour staring at him. Doc breathed a sigh of relief.

“Grif, Simmons, Donut! Thank goodness, you won’t believe what just happened to me!”

The three didn’t answer right away, rather looking at each other, confused.

“Delaware, what are you doing here?”

“Huh? Guys, what are you talking about?”

“I thought you were on a mission,” says Donut, “Didn’t you go with Utah and Georgia?”

“Uh, no? Who are they?”

“Other agents?”

“Agents? You mean like Freelancers? I thought we dealt with them already?”

“Dealt with them?” Grif says, “What are you talking about? We are Freelancers. I mean, sure we’re the B-Team, but we’re still part of the program.”

“More like D or E team,” Simmons says under his breath. 

Any retort that Grif might have made was lost on Doc who had retreated into his thoughts. He’d travelled dimensions again, and instead of going back to his own dimension, he’d fallen into one where they were all Freelancers (somehow. How that was managed is beyond him). However, that thought was shoved aside in the wake of something far more dire.

Doc had thought that using the future cubes in that colour switched dimension would bring him back to his original one. Instead, he’d been transported to a completely new dimension. Which meant that if he tried that again, there was no guarantee that he’d make it home, and instead could go spinning off into yet another one. And the number of dimensions he could encounter could be literally infinite! 

How was he ever going to get home?

“Delaware? Are you alright?” Donut asked. “You got really quiet all of a sudden…”

“Huh? I’m fine.” No he wasn’t, but he had to keep a level head and not freak out.

“No, I don’t think you are,” said Simmons.

“Yeah, like Iowa said, you were really quiet, and then you started going nonononono. It was kind of creepy dude. I think you should lie down.” It was weird that Grif actually looked somewhat concerned. Doc was suspicious, but Grif was right.

He needed to think this through.

“Yeah, I’ll do that. Go lie down,” he said, wearily, and slowly made his way out of the cafeteria. He was halfway down the hall, with no idea where he was going, when Donut, or rather Iowa, trotted up beside him.

“Figured you shouldn’t go alone,” he said cheerfully. “I’ll make sure you’re a-okay.”

“Thanks.” Doc replied. He hoped that this was something he could count on. That there would always be a Donut to help him out, no matter what world he ended up in. 

Gently Iowa directed him towards the barracks, and into Doc, or rather Delaware’s room. Doc stretched out on the bed, which felt closer to a rock, while Iowa bustled about the room, humming to himself. It had been odd. Everyone they had passed at stared at Doc. Apparently Delaware, as he was in this world, really was supposed to be away. Doc wasn’t sure what would happen when they found out, and he was certain they would. 

He lay on the bed imagining the consequences for a moment, and based on what he knew about the Freelancer program, or had heard from Wash and the Reds and Blues, it wasn’t going to be pretty. He’d probably be tortured or forced to try out experimental equipment or deal with the Director himself and it was enough to make Doc start panicking again. 

But it’s in those moments of extreme panic and stress that a clear thought can make it’s way through. And it was like a beacon of light to Doc. Like a light bulb had gone off in his head. He almost had to laugh, he’d been so dumb.

“Hey, Do—Iowa?” Doc said, sitting up.

“What’s up? Are you feeling better? Want me to bring you anything?

“I’m fine. Actually, I was wondering, we haven’t found any experimental technology recently, have we? Like, alien stuff or something?” The sentence was weird to him, foreign since he was never a freelancer and his association with the program was less than pleasant. 

Iowa was silent for a moment, considering. When he spoke, his voice was a conspiratorial whisper.

“It’s top secret, but I heard from Agent Alaska that he heard Agent West Virginia and New Mexico were sent to some planet way out in the middle of no where to find something. They brought it back recently and the rumour is it’s supposed to be for our enhancements or something. But nothing beyond that.”

The pieces were beginning to fall into place in Doc’s mind. That far off planet could be Chorus, the something would then be the alien technology. In the back of his mind a plan was forming, which was odd because Doc typically didn’t do plans. He was a follower and happy to be so.

“Where would they be keeping it?” 

“I don’t actually know, but I would think the Director’s personal lab, but that’s off limits to all agents.”

Doc nodded and lay back down on the bed. He’d need to think about this some more.

**

Doc awoke several hours later, feeling refreshed but at the same time slightly confused. It took him a moment to get his bearings and remember that he had travelled through dimensions. Who knew how much time had passed since he had left his home, and he wondered, slightly less than optimistically, if anyone had noticed. (A small voice in the back of his head suggested they probably hadn’t, but Doc did his best to ignore it. That kind of thinking wouldn’t get him anywhere. He had to hang in there, like the cat in his favorite motivational poster). 

He got up and looked around. Iowa must have left. Doc would have to find him, and perhaps the other Reds and Blues. If he was going to do this, he would need help. And he couldn’t think of a better team to accomplish this task.

Or cause the ship to explode. One or the other. 

Because he was going to break into the Director’s lab.

**

Having made up his mind, Doc left his barrack with a determined step. Everything was layed out before him and he knew what he had to do. First, locate the Reds and Blues, then find the Director’s lab, after that, break in and locate a future cube, and then he just had to throw it before anyone caught him. 

Although this caused a slight worry since it would likely mean that the Reds and Blues would end up in big trouble. (The little voice in the back of his head said that he shouldn’t care but Doc was adamant. They were his friends, sort of, and he needed to make sure they would be okay once he left. How he was going to accomplish that remained unknown, but he would figure it out). Besides, trouble was where they usually ended up, and they were good at getting out of it. 

He followed the route back to the cafeteria as best he could, hoping that the Reds (it was hard to imagine them freelancers) would still be there.

They weren’t. Not a great start.

Doc sighed, hoping he wasn’t going to have to search the entire ship for them when he heard another familiar voice. He wheeled around, seeing a familiar pair in teal…cyan…greeny-blue and standard blue.

“Tucker!” Doc called out, “Caboose! Boy am I glad to see you guys!”

“Delaware? When did you get back?” Tucker replied, while Caboose looked around confused.

“Who is Caboose? I don’t see a Caboose. I am Agent Rhode Island,” he said, confidently. “And who is Tucker? That is Agent Vermont. Tucker is a stupid name.”

“Ignore him,” Tucker, or rather, Vermont sighed, “What’s up?” 

“Oh, uh, nothing much. Just, uh, hanging out, you know,” Doc replied, uneasy. He’d never been very good at being smooth and he could tell Tuck—Vermont knew something was up. All it took was for the other soldier to incline his head and Doc broke.

“Actually I was looking for you guys and some of the Reds because ineedtobreakingintothedirectorslab.” 

“What?” 

Doc leaned in, conspiratorially. 

“I heard that the Director’s got alien tech in his lab. It’s a long story, but I need to see it.”

It was quiet in the hallway. You could hear a pin drop.

“What?” Vermont said again.

“Sounds like Delaware here needs to break into somewhere,” came a gruff voice, “And I gotta admit, I’m just as curious about this alien tech as he is.”

The purple and blue(ish) soldiers turned as one, and Doc was not at all surprised to see a red soldier standing behind them.

“Sarge?”

“Son, did you get hit on the head or somethin’? It’s Arkansas,” said the Red Soldier, “Iowa was mentioning that you couldn’t seem to remember anythin’”.

“It’s a long story, trust me,” Doc said, exasperated. He really didn’t want to explain the whole multi-verse thing, especially when the understanding he had on it was tenuous at best. “Look, the main thing is, I need your help! All of you! I have to sneak into the Director’s lab!”

The silence was again palpable, until Arkansas laughed.

“I gotta admit I’m just as curious about what the Director’s got up there that he doesn’t want us to see. I think you came to the right man, Delaware. Vermont, go find Massachusets and the others, and let’s get to plannin’.” 

**

The next few hours were a blur in Doc’s mind. He was hastily shoved into a small room with the other agents. Hawaii, Masachusetts and Iowa joined them quickly and all of a sudden there was a map of the Mother of Invention up on the wall. 

With input from Arkansas, Masachusetts outlined the plan, half of which Doc didn’t really understand but the others seemed to be nodding in agreement so he did as well. All he mostly understood is that he would be going with Iowa, Arkansas and Rhode Island as part of the main break-in party, while everyone else would be a distraction. 

What followed after that was the assignment of codenames, and then a conversation about whether or not they would need masks.

“We have helmets!” Hawaii shouted. “Why would we need masks?”

“Because what if they recognize us?” Massachusetts shouted back. 

“They will, it’s not going to be hard to guess!”

“We’re gonna get in so much trouble.”

“You’ll be in even more trouble if you don’t, you imbiciles!” 

The room was abruptly silent, so much so that once again the metaphorical pin could be heard. It took Doc a minute to realize everyone was staring at him, that he was the one who had spoken. 

“You sure you’re okay, Delaware?” Iowa asked. Doc nodded as everyone shuffled off to begin the plan. What had that been, even? He hadn’t an outburst like that since O’Malley had been in his head. 

But O’Malley was gone, wasn’t he? Doc didn’t want to think about it.

**

“So, what do these grenade thingies look like again?” asked Iowa, as they stood outside the doors to the Director’s lab. The hallway was silent and they hadn’t seen anyone on their way down there. It was kind of creepy, and Doc could feel the anticipation mounting. 

“They’re orange and black and spikey. You can’t miss them,” he said, surprised with upbeat he sounded. He thought the anticipation was getting to him, but there was also the excitement that he might make it back home. He hoped he would be make it back home.

Ahead of them, Arkansas grumbled. 

“What was that?”

“I was trying to make a joke about Hawaii but nothing’s coming. Stupid idiot can’t even lend himself for a decent punchline.” 

The three remaining soldiers looked at each other, not entirely sure how to respond to that and Doc could feel another biting comment in the back of his head which he swiftly shoved away. He couldn’t say things like that. It just wasn’t polite. 

Thankfully, he was saved by the crackle of the radio.

“Okay, we’re in position. Ready when you are,” came Massachusett’s voice. Arkansas looked at them.

“Ready?” 

“Let’s go!”

Expecting it to be locked, the plan was simple. Rhode Island was simply going to charge in and break the door down. That way, they could blame it on him when they were caught. Rhode Island seemed amiable to the suggestion, and all things considered, he would probably be let off on a technicality. Things usually managed to work out for Rhode Island. 

However, his brute strength was not needed as the door swung open as he approached it. The others ran into the empty room, looking around confused. 

“So this is the Director’s lab? Nice place he’s got here,” said Arkasas, wandering around. 

“I don’t think we should touch anything,” Doc suggested, nervously. “Stuff looks expensive, and we’re only looking for the future cubes anyway…” 

His words were predictably lost on Arkasas, who had already picked up an alien looking gun. Iowa, in the meantime was sweeping the room.

“Hey! Watch that!” came a familiar voice. Doc’s head snapped over to Rhode Island, who had bumped a computer terminal. A small, blue figure had popped out. 

“Hello!” said Rhode Island, pleasantly. “Who are you?” 

“Church?” Doc asked. “Is that you?” 

“Nope, I’m Alpha…and I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to be in here…” the AI replied, obviously confused. “The Director generally doesn’t let freelancers in here.”

“We’re breaking in!” Rhode Island supplied, “We need to find the spiky cube so that Delaware can go back to the real world. Which is not this world.” 

The Alpha was quiet. Especially as Iowa and Arkasas came over to investigate. Doc knew he had to act fast.

“Look, are there any black and orange spikey things in here? I really need one.”

“Yeah, they’re over there by the hammer thing. But are you even authorized. It says here you guys are just freelancers. Seriously. And I shouldn’t even be talking to you. Also security’s on its way. You tripped an alarm on the way in.”

Arkansas started to object but Doc was no longer listening. Instead, he was looking for the hammer, and relief flooded him as he laid eyes on the future cubes. He grabbed one, hoping that it was active, before turning to the remaining freelancers, who were starting to argue with the Alpha. 

Some things never change.

“Look, everyone! Thanks so much! I mean it!” he said, and he felt bad as security rushed in the open door. Iowa gave him a thumbs up and Rhode Island waved as Doc threw the grenade down and felt the familiar push and pull as space bent around him.

“There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home!” was his mantra. Hopefully, it would work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I had to make my own list to remember, so for those interested, or needing to keep track:
> 
> Iowa = Donut  
> Hawaii = Grif  
> Massachusett = Simmons  
> Arkansas = Sarge  
> Vermont = Tucker  
> Rhode Island = Caboose  
> Doc = Delaware
> 
> It was really hard not to have a whole Blue Team + Sarge conversation with Alpha but that would probably be crossing the line into too indulgent.


End file.
